# Do you age cigars at a higher humidity than you smoke them?



## craigchilds (Jan 20, 2006)

I've read a lot of threads on puff.com about aging and desired humidity levels. But I don't think this question has ever been addressed. 

I just bought a 300-ct humidor for "aging". My goal is to age my cigars 12-18 months before I smoke them. 

I usually keep my humidors at 65-67% RH because I prefer a drier taste, which I feel brings out more flavor. 

However, I have read in a few places that cigars should be aged at 70-78% RH, then brought down to 70% before smoking. My aging humidor is currently set at 72%. But I pulled a few cigars out early last night and they were way to wet. So now I'm trying to bring the aging humidor down to 67%.

Does anyone have any experience or thoughts about this?


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## Herf N Turf (Dec 31, 2008)

Actually, I consider "aging" to be in excess of 24mos. Everything up to that, I consider merely "resting." As far as humidity goes, I am the exact opposite. 65% for aging and 68-70% for smoking.


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## AspiringGent (May 15, 2009)

I agree that you'll want to age at a slightly lower humidity, around 60-65. Then increase the humidity to whatever you like to smoke them at later.


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## mrreindeer (Sep 4, 2008)

I keep mine at a pretty steady 65/65 and just passed the year mark in March. (just started down the slope last year & my Vino is pretty darn full & I can't quite find the time for a smoke these days so it'll be interesting to see how NC's 'age' although I've heard they've already been aged prior to being distributed....I've heard it's the CC's that are the ones you want to age....wonder what you guys think....


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## Sweet_Cigars (Oct 3, 2008)

I'm guessing ACID's are not good to age?:dunno:


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## golfermd (Feb 18, 2009)

Yes, I smoke them right out of my humidor (RH ~70). I have had no issues with splitting. hard draw, staying lit, etc... Since I only smoke about 2-3 a week, it's not worth the extra effort to have a pre-smoke humidor set at a different RH. :music:


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## Acesfull (Dec 9, 2007)

I dont have enough cigars to age yet but when I finally get enough.. I'd imagine I'll leave them all at 65% where the sit at the rest of the time


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## Sweet_Cigars (Oct 3, 2008)

Acesfull said:


> I dont have enough cigars to age yet but when I finally get enough.. I'd imagine I'll leave them all at 65% where the sit at the rest of the time


:lie::lie::lie:


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## Rubix^3 (Nov 10, 2008)

This topic covers one of my favorite discoveries of late. Over the last year I have steadily increased my cigar collecting. Last May I had less than 20 cigars. Now I have around 120. About half of those have about 6 months or more on them--the first time i have had enough cigars to not smoke them right away. I can say that based on my experiences this year that I have noticed an improvement in flavor and burn of almost every cigar that I have let sit to rest more than a couple months. I have considered purchasing another humi just for resting, and then one for cigars ready to smoke. Based on my findings, I like to let my cigars rest at least 2 weeks before I smoke them, and ideally, over 2-3 months. 
(f.y.i. all my cigars are n.c. and kept at 70% by way of heartfelt beads)


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## K Baz (Mar 2, 2007)

Cigar aging is generally thought to mirror many way wine aging.

Most people go with the idea that a 55 - 60 humidity is ideal as well as 55 - 60 on temp. Most of the time this is not possible with the need to keep stocks at such a low temp in regards to the rest of a general household especially if you don't have a cooled unit or a wine cellar.

But in the absence of "perfect" conditions I think the best this is consistancy. If you going to keep you stock 65 % 65 F try to keep the swings and variations as small as possible.

Now I am going to disagree with other posters and say aging is 5 years plus. Some will say 10 years plus.

I think anything less then 2 years till burning keep them with the rest of your stock and enjoy.


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## ashmaster (Oct 10, 2008)

My humidors stay between 64 to 67% and for me, I really don't see any reason to change that for long term aging. I'm happy with the results so far.


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## docruger (Feb 12, 2009)

Rubix^3 said:


> This topic covers one of my favorite discoveries of late. Over the last year I have steadily increased my cigar collecting. Last May I had less than 20 cigars. Now I have around 120. About half of those have about 6 months or more on them--the first time i have had enough cigars to not smoke them right away. I can say that based on my experiences this year that I have noticed an improvement in flavor and burn of almost every cigar that I have let sit to rest more than a couple months. I have considered purchasing another humi just for resting, and then one for cigars ready to smoke. Based on my findings, I like to let my cigars rest at least 2 weeks before I smoke them, and ideally, over 2-3 months.
> (f.y.i. all my cigars are n.c. and kept at 70% by way of heartfelt beads)


 ditto i do the same resting. now if i could only rest my self that long.


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## GrtndpwrflOZ (May 17, 2007)

Humidity......what's humidity? and what the hell does it have to do with cigars?

I have met people on this board, that board and the international board that keep their smokes anywhere from 55% Rh to 73% Rh. I think it has to do with your personal preference.
as for aging/resting/sleeping/cat napping/comatosing/killing dead as a doornail ....
unless you buy multiple boxes at a time for just this reason I believe that any cigar you don't smoke is aging. which I guess is a truth.....right?

I think it goes like this and please someone correct me if I am mistaken

resting = < 1 year
aging = < 5 - 10 years
vintage = +10 years

I too started down the slope in May.....of 2007 I think. WOW 2 years now. WHen I started I didn't own a cigar. I had bought a couple for a friend and myself to smoke while throwing darts and it has been all down hill from there (pun intended)
I now own a 120 ct (first humi), a 300ct (2nd), and 2 end table (3rd, & 4th: 600ct ea.) and they are all pretty much filled. I still need to play "tetris" to get at some cigars.
I digress

First I also have heard the whole "you don't need to age NC's only CC's discussion. I don't understand it. Why would you not age NC's because they are already aged somewhat? I mean if I go and by a box of 1998 RyJ Coronas do I have to smoke them NOW because they are already aged?....NO, of course not. So why should you not age NC's anymore than they are aged. I have cigars from the '20's, 50's, 60's, 80's, 90's and current. I am not compelled to smoke them in any hurry. I have been buyiong NC's since I started in '07 but have not smoked all the cigars I have bought. They sit and age/rest/sleep/go intro a coma....whatever cutsie term you want to use. Will I ever get around to smoking them.....probably not, my tastes have changed but every once in awhile I'll grap something I haven't smoked in ages and think WOW, why don't I smoke more of these.......and then they end up sitting again for a year or so....... 

OK, this must be the most I have posted in quite some time

MSoke'em if ya got'em

B


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## 6clicks (May 1, 2008)

I'm too old to age my cigars so I just let them rest a while and burn 'em up.


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## fiddlegrin (Feb 8, 2009)

GrtndpwrflOZ said:


> ................................
> 
> OK, this must be the most I have posted in quite some time
> 
> ...


Thanks for the fun post! :thumb:


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## Tarks (Mar 3, 2009)

6clicks said:


> I'm too old to age my cigars so I just let them rest a while and burn 'em up.


LOL. Good one.


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## nativetexan_1 (Jan 1, 2008)

I keep them all about the same: 65-70% as best I can in an area with daily humidity ranging wildly.


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## Phantom57 (Jan 15, 2009)

Likewise, I don't consider anything under 24 months aging. If you do age cigars the humidity should be lower, not higher, ie more in the 60-65% range. The best thing to truly age in is a cooler, they maintain humidity much better than even expensive humidors and are a lot less headache. NCs really do not require aging, and it may even be detrimental. The tobacco is fully fermented and is smokable right out of the box. True aging will just decrease the flavor and strength. Many Cubans, on the other hand, are rolled with tobacco not fully fermented, and they do require a few years aging to be a decent smoke. Not all of them are like that, but many are.

Different cigars require different humidities. I smoke mostly Nicaraguan puros with corojo hybrid wrappers, and they require 68-70% with their thick wrapper. Cuban wrappers are thinner, and do best around 65%. In general, low humidity will produce a drier, hotter, harsh, and less flavorful smoke. Higher humidity will yield a more flavorful fuller bodied smoke, unless of course you go too high in which case the smoke will be bitter and acrid.


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## smphilli (Mar 22, 2009)

On the oliva website.....Oliva Cigar they say that cigars should be aged at 79%, which is definitely higher......i think ill trust the people that make some of the best cigars out today


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## smphilli (Mar 22, 2009)

70-79 i apologize


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## Acesfull (Dec 9, 2007)

I think what you are referring to is an experiment Oliva did where they stored some cigars at 80% humidity for a few years to age them at like 50 degrees F.. I cant remember but it was really cold to see what the effects were but if I recall this correctly... and this is from a 3rd party where I heard this not directly from Oliva... the outcome was the same as if you stored them at 70/70 or around there.


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## smphilli (Mar 22, 2009)

no, go on their website and look under cigar fundamentals


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## GlockG23 (Mar 7, 2009)

I like Phantom57 post somewhat. Phantom57 please do not get offended but I am going to chop quote it



Phantom57 said:


> Likewise, I don't consider anything under 24 months aging.


 don't agree



Phantom57 said:


> The best thing to truly age in is a cooler, they maintain humidity much better than even expensive humidors and are a lot less headache.


 Agree



Phantom57 said:


> NCs really do not require aging, and it may even be detrimental. The tobacco is fully fermented and is smokable right out of the box. True aging will just decrease the flavor and strength.


 I will age a NC just to decrease the flavor and strength



Phantom57 said:


> Different cigars require different humidities.


 Agree



Phantom57 said:


> Cuban wrappers are thinner, and do best around 65%.


 All thin wrapper cigars



Phantom57 said:


> In general, low humidity will produce a drier, hotter, harsh, and less flavorful smoke. Higher humidity will yield a more flavorful fuller bodied smoke, unless of course you go too high in which case the smoke will be bitter and acrid.


 right on

-----

those are just my opinions
Man this makes my post big and I will never do it again


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## Scott W. (Jul 10, 2008)

I try to keep mine between 60 and 65 RH and 65 degrees. I have a fair amount of CC's that I think smoke awful when stored at 70 RH. Most of my smokes are a minimum of 2 years old with some boxes 11-12 years old and I have one stick in there that is supposedly from 1926.


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## 6clicks (May 1, 2008)

I was herfing with a frend the other day who told me that he keeps his cigars at 80% RH. He dry boxes them for a couple of days before he smokes them and says they're perfect. I would think that the filler leaves would remain damp while the wrapper got dry. Ever hear of this? I keep mine at 65% with beads and that seems to be just right for me.


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## Snake Hips (May 30, 2008)

6clicks said:


> I was herfing with a frend the other day who told me that he keeps his cigars at 80% RH. He dry boxes them for a couple of days before he smokes them and says they're perfect. I would think that the filler leaves would remain damp while the wrapper got dry. Ever hear of this? I keep mine at 65% with beads and that seems to be just right for me.


I would think he'd have lots of problems with split wrappers. Have you ever asked him what's behind his logic? Seems to me it's easier to store them at what you like to smoke them at instead of having to dry box for days.


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## craigchilds (Jan 20, 2006)

6clicks said:


> I was herfing with a frend the other day who told me that he keeps his cigars at 80% RH. He dry boxes them for a couple of days before he smokes them and says they're perfect. I would think that the filler leaves would remain damp while the wrapper got dry. Ever hear of this?


That's a new one to me. I would think you'd need to drybox the cigars for at least a week or two if they've been stored at 80%.


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